E-tickets have matured significantly over the past few years. Not only can a passenger book travel arrangements utilizing the interne to create an electronic ticket, but an electronic version of an electronic ticket can now even be provided to a cell phone or personal data assistant for use in providing this information to a transportation provider such as airline at check in or other location. Accordingly, in some instances, there is no need for paper of any kind to be associated with a traveling passenger. See www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2009/1209.shtm.
Luggage identification which is separate from the passenger travel information provided by e-tickets has not seen such a revolution in technological advances. The most common way of identifying luggage in today's airline industry is to adhere a sticker directly onto the luggage. The sticker possibly identifies the owner of the luggage or at least a reference number to be assigned to the owner with a corresponding number which is provided to the traveler's ticket so that the luggage can be identified with the traveler at baggage claim. This sticker also normally has a bar code and a destination which identifies where the luggage is traveling in a one-way direction.
With the common sticker baggage identification, there is not a convenient way to identify multiple flights. The stickers could then become confused as to which destination the baggage is ultimately traveling. Furthermore, there is no way for the customer to perform self baggage checks as the baggage must be processed at the counter utilizing the current system.
Accordingly, improvements over these prior art baggage identification systems and devices are believed to be necessary.